Trail running is attracting increasing attention as a means of revitalizing towns and villages suffering from depopulation.
The OSJ Okukuji Trail 50K footrace, which covers mountain paths around 654-meter Mount Nantai on the border between Daigo and Hitachiota in Ibaraki Prefecture, attracts around 600 participants every year.
Debuting in 2009, the race has caught on with trail runners not only because of its tough course dotted with steep ascents and descents, but also because of the hospitality of its residents, who host a welcoming party on the eve of each race filled with local dishes, such as fresh trout broiled with salt.